A home media network can be used to connect multiple electronic devices within the home. These devices may have varying capabilities and could be made by a variety of manufacturers. For example, devices interconnected within a home media network may include: mobile computing devices, personal computers, set top boxes, entertainment centers, home security systems, high definition television sets, and other electronic devices. Each of these interconnected devices may have one or more preferred media formats. Additionally, some of the devices may have the ability to transcode content from a source format into a preferred or target format.
Content stored or generated within the home media network typically exists in a variety of forms. In order to ensure seamless home media experiences, it is necessary to efficiently transform content to be compatible with a variety of target display devices within the home media network. Some of the challenges in performing timely transformations include: discovery and management of information about the capabilities of various devices within the home network; communication of the location and the availability of source content; and the availability and performance of devices for transforming the media into a target format.
Throughout the drawings, identical reference numbers designate similar, but not necessarily identical, elements.